The rapid expansion of information service and data processing industries has resulted in a need for computer systems to manage and store large amounts of data. As an example, financial service businesses such as banks, mutual fund companies or the like often operate large and complex data processing systems that require access to many hundreds of gigabytes or even terabytes of data. Data storage system developers have responded to these types of data storage requirements by integrating large capacity data storage systems into networks called “storage networks” or “storage area networks” (SANs.) A storage area network is a collection of data storage systems that are networked with each other and with a number of computer systems that operate as servers to serve data stored in the data storage systems to end-user or host computer systems. In a typical implementation, a storage area network includes elements such as one or more connectivity devices, such as high speed data switches, that interconnect the various data storage systems to each other and to one or more of the server and host computer systems (servers and hosts) that require access to (e.g., read and/or write) the data in the data storage systems. As the servers and hosts request access (e.g., read and/or write) to the data, the data switches channel the data access requests (e.g., data read requests, data write requests) and responses between the computer system and the appropriate data storage systems within the storage area network. Other elements such as bridges and software applications may operate in the various devices to comprise a storage area network.
Typically, a network management station (i.e., a management computer system) also operates within a storage area network. Generally, a storage area network administrator operates the network management station to remotely manage and control the elements that form the storage area network such as the servers, data switches, and data storage systems. To do so, a conventional network management station operates various remote management software applications in order to remotely control, monitor, manage and configure the various operations (e.g., processes) performed by elements (e.g., devices and/or software processes) operating in the storage area network. By way of example, a storage area network administrator can operate one management application provided form one vendor on the management station to remotely configure disks within a data storage system produced by that vendor. Another management application from another vendor can operate to control backup devices within the storage area network manufactured by that vendor. Still another conventional management application might allow a network manager to configure allocations of storage network resources (e.g., one or more data storage volumes) to specific hosts or groups of host computer systems (e.g., servers or other computer systems that require access to data in the storage network) using a technology called “zoning.” Storage area network elements that a zoning management application came configure into zones include, among other things, disk partitions, volume configurations, and access control mechanisms within the data storage systems and the data switches. In this manner, a systems or network manager is able to remotely manage the various elements in a conventional storage area network using conventional management applications produced by various vendors.